Author Topic: Dutch brevets in 2020 (Read 28474 times)

slugbait · « **Reply #75 on:** 23 January, 2020, 12:33:49 pm »

Quote from: quixoticgeek on 23 January, 2020, 12:09:16 pm

Oh, I hadn't noticed that the Festina Lente ride had moved to Heerlen. That's a bit of a pain, there's a lot less affordable accommodation in Heerlen than in Maastricht

"Natuurvriendenhuis Eikhold" is the best I could find. Not supercheap, but affordable.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #76 on:** 23 January, 2020, 01:06:15 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 23 January, 2020, 12:33:49 pm

"Natuurvriendenhuis Eikhold" is the best I could find. Not supercheap, but affordable.

Have booked a bed there. It's on a par with the cost of the stay okay in Maastricht anyway.

J

Ivo · « **Reply #77 on:** 23 January, 2020, 05:47:57 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 23 January, 2020, 10:10:20 am

Quote from: Ivo on 23 January, 2020, 06:16:27 am
I'll be in Nijmegen as well and am planning to be in Heerlen (I haven't got my shift plan yet for that weekend so I can't be sure).

It's a pity that we can't use the Stayokay in Maastricht for the "Festina Lente"-ride. Maastricht is a considerably nicer town to spend the weekend than Heerlen.

You still could, it's only 25k to the start (or half an hour by train).

slugbait · « **Reply #78 on:** 23 January, 2020, 09:35:35 pm »

Quote from: Ivo on 23 January, 2020, 05:47:57 pm

You still could, it's only 25k to the start (or half an hour by train).

I always forget how compact Zuid-Limburg is. Somehow I thought it was approx 40km (despite having cycled a lot there).

Anyhow, the plan is to combine it with some municipality hunting. Brunssum on Friday and Weert, Nederweert, Reusel-De Mierden en Cranendonck on the way back. And for the ride in Nijmegen, the plan is to bag Winterswijk and Cuijk. Then all I need is one strategic ride from Utrecht to have every province except both Hollands and Friesland (those bloody Wadden Islands) in the bag.

Ivo · « **Reply #79 on:** 23 January, 2020, 11:10:22 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 23 January, 2020, 09:35:35 pm

Quote from: Ivo on 23 January, 2020, 05:47:57 pm
You still could, it's only 25k to the start (or half an hour by train).

I always forget how compact Zuid-Limburg is. Somehow I thought it was approx 40km (despite having cycled a lot there).

Anyhow, the plan is to combine it with some municipality hunting. Brunssum on Friday and Weert, Nederweert, Reusel-De Mierden en Cranendonck on the way back. And for the ride in Nijmegen, the plan is to bag Winterswijk and Cuijk. Then all I need is one strategic ride from Utrecht to have every province except both Hollands and Friesland (those bloody Wadden Islands) in the bag.

A small tip for the islands, Rederij Doeksen has a special offer until march 30th, for the price of a single ticket to either Vlieland or Terschelling with your bike they offer you a return ticket + bike hire. As these islands are rather small riding it on a hire bike wouldn't make it very hard.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #80 on:** 23 January, 2020, 11:23:15 pm »

Quote from: Ivo on 23 January, 2020, 11:10:22 pm

A small tip for the islands, Rederij Doeksen has a special offer until march 30th, for the price of a single ticket to either Vlieland or Terschelling with your bike they offer you a return ticket + bike hire. As these islands are rather small riding it on a hire bike wouldn't make it very hard.

Useful to know. I was planning on doing it with a Brompton. I only have 3 islands left.

J

farfetched · « **Reply #81 on:** 24 January, 2020, 10:36:04 am »

Quote from: quixoticgeek on 23 January, 2020, 12:09:16 pm

Quote from: slugbait on 23 January, 2020, 10:10:20 am
It's a pity that we can't use the Stayokay in Maastricht for the "Festina Lente"-ride. Maastricht is a considerably nicer town to spend the weekend than Heerlen.

Oh, I hadn't noticed that the Festina Lente ride had moved to Heerlen. That's a bit of a pain, there's a lot less affordable accommodation in Heerlen than in Maastricht

J

Does anybody know (roughly) any details about the Festina Lente route, are we talking Ardennes/Eiffel or perhaps something less challenging.
I normally only do one brevet a month so I like to have some idea where its going. Thats the reason i will not be starting tomorrow in Bunnik,
last weeks Belgian brevet (Bruges) was a little more inviting to me than a trip through the 'randstad' , and i have done this event before anway.

slugbait · « **Reply #82 on:** 24 January, 2020, 10:45:59 am »

Festina Lente heads north to Venlo. When it started in Maastricht the first 30km were hilly (including Loorberg and Camerig), the rest was flat with a long section along the Maas.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #83 on:** 24 January, 2020, 10:47:14 am »

Quote from: slugbait on 24 January, 2020, 10:45:59 am

Festina Lente heads north to Venlo. When it started in Maastricht the first 30km were hilly (including Loorberg and Camerig), the rest was flat with a long section along the Maas.

Does that mean the last 30km involves Loorberg and Camerig?

J

farfetched · « **Reply #84 on:** 24 January, 2020, 11:44:45 am »

The fact that it hasnt been published yet, but it was a previous route (from Maastricht) indicates to me that they are
probably re-routing some of it. We shall see... good point about the last 30km!

Ivo · « **Reply #85 on:** 24 January, 2020, 03:41:35 pm »

Quote from: farfetched on 24 January, 2020, 11:44:45 am

The fact that it hasnt been published yet, but it was a previous route (from Maastricht) indicates to me that they are
probably re-routing some of it. We shall see... good point about the last 30km!

Jo already uploaded some routechecking of parts of the route to be changed on Strava.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #86 on:** 26 January, 2020, 12:31:24 pm »

Well that was considerably harder than it needed to be. Turns out that 3 weeks off the bike with flu, getting back on and doing a mid winter 200k is bloody hard. Definitely type 3 fun. If it wasn't for my RRtY, I don't think I would have started yesterday. 8/12 for AUK, 7/12 for RNL.

Ow

J

slugbait · « **Reply #87 on:** 26 January, 2020, 03:23:37 pm »

Quote from: Ivo on 24 January, 2020, 03:41:35 pm

Quote from: farfetched on 24 January, 2020, 11:44:45 am
The fact that it hasnt been published yet, but it was a previous route (from Maastricht) indicates to me that they are
probably re-routing some of it. We shall see... good point about the last 30km!

Jo already uploaded some routechecking of parts of the route to be changed on Strava.

After careful examination of Jo's rides on Strava, it appears Loorberg and Camerig are gone, but Dodeman (1km at 7.4%, max gradient over 100 m is 15.6%) is included just after the start.

markcc · « **Reply #88 on:** 26 January, 2020, 07:30:33 pm »

Can thoroughly recommend Kasteel Terworm in Heerlen!

farfetched · « **Reply #89 on:** 27 January, 2020, 09:00:04 am »

Quote from: quixoticgeek on 26 January, 2020, 12:31:24 pm

Well that was considerably harder than it needed to be. Turns out that 3 weeks off the bike with flu, getting back on and doing a mid winter 200k is bloody hard. Definitely type 3 fun. If it wasn't for my RRtY, I don't think I would have started yesterday. 8/12 for AUK, 7/12 for RNL.

Well done!
It was cold and pretty miserable on Saturday when i was walking the dog, so not much fun on the bike specially for full value riders. I also rode
the Boekelo event with a bout of flu, all for my RRtY. Luckily February has 3 options including the Belgians so that shouldnt be a problem unless real winter arrives.

Quote from: slugbait

After careful examination of Jo's rides on Strava, it appears Loorberg and Camerig are gone, but Dodeman (1km at 7.4%, max gradient over 100 m is 15.6%) is included just after the start.

Thats the alternative to the Keutenberg, I have done it a few times - no fun at all - that gives me more incentive to turn up in Nijmegen in a couple of weeks.

Ivo · « **Reply #90 on:** 28 January, 2020, 10:21:27 pm »

The provisional route is online now. Peter and Jo simply turned the route around
https://randonneurs.nl/brevet/brm-200-maastricht/?fbclid=IwAR0KmxOQUSkGmnJN0ZqT6Py74bIsMj3PnI5f7p4k3ny91lEUb9zr9NnZsJc

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #91 on:** 28 January, 2020, 10:39:24 pm »

Well that looks... challenging.

J

Zed43 · « **Reply #92 on:** 29 January, 2020, 10:09:19 am »

Looks like a bad elevation profile. The finish is at 200 meters elevation so I doubt you'll have to climb 218 meters in the first 2 kilometers

Skipping his one but I'll be riding on February 8 (starting at ~ 9:30 because of trains SNAFU which was ok by the organizer)

slugbait · « **Reply #93 on:** 29 January, 2020, 12:04:23 pm »

Quote from: Zed43 on 29 January, 2020, 10:09:19 am

Skipping his one but I'll be riding on February 8 (starting at ~ 9:30 because of trains SNAFU which was ok by the organizer)

Putting S&S couplers in your audax bike is really paying off for you. I'm just going to cycle to Arnhem and catch the train back home from there.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #94 on:** 06 February, 2020, 11:43:42 am »

Well the forecast is starting to converge for Saturday. It's going to be interesting, I've not ridden since Bunnik, (this lurgy has really knocked me for 6). If the current forecast holds, should be a force 2 from the south west. Not ideal, but could be a lot worse.

Considering the Dutch National Headwind champs may be held on Sunday, we may get off lightly...

J

slugbait · « **Reply #95 on:** 06 February, 2020, 07:58:28 pm »

Dutch National Headwind champs are taking place on Sunday, but luckily the wind (and rain) only arrive late Saturday evening/Sunday.

The route for the Heerlen 300 is changed compared to last year (judging by the outline of the route on randonneurs.nl). The horrible bit from Liège/Luik to Andenne is gone. I'm thinking about riding this now. (The plan was to do a 300 early March but I didn't like the 2019 Heerlen route).

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #96 on:** 06 February, 2020, 08:12:24 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 06 February, 2020, 07:58:28 pm

Dutch National Headwind champs are taking place on Sunday, but luckily the wind (and rain) only arrive late Saturday evening/Sunday.

Yeah, gonna be interesting, esp for any full value riders...

Quote

The route for the Heerlen 300 is changed compared to last year (judging by the outline of the route on randonneurs.nl). The horrible bit from Liège/Luik to Andenne is gone. I'm thinking about riding this now. (The plan was to do a 300 early March but I didn't like the 2019 Heerlen route).

Ooh, that is an improvement. Shame I'm going to be busy that weekend now. Not that I am even close to the fitness needed for a 300. But good to see the feedback has been taken to heart and it's avoiding some of the worst bits. tho the road into Namur is still the same horror show.

J

J

Ivo · « **Reply #97 on:** 06 February, 2020, 10:00:21 pm »

The detailed predictions of weeronline now even postpone the heavy rain untill sunday around noon.

The rain does cause a short detour though from km 33. The stretch east of Rheden is flooded. Please watch your email inbox, a detour will be mailed to all pre registered riders tomorrow.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #98 on:** 06 February, 2020, 10:11:20 pm »

Quote from: Ivo on 06 February, 2020, 10:00:21 pm

The detailed predictions of weeronline now even postpone the heavy rain untill sunday around noon.

The rain does cause a short detour though from km 33. The stretch east of Rheden is flooded. Please watch your email inbox, a detour will be mailed to all pre registered riders tomorrow.

Ooh, thanks for the headsup.

Better make sure my bike is ready.

J

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #99 on:** 07 February, 2020, 12:28:15 am »

Bollocks. There's engineering works on the line between Arnhem and Nijmegen. Gonna be a right pain to get to the start. Train journey is involves and ICD to Breda to arrive in time to get to the start. And getting home looks even more impossible. Shit. 26k ride from finish to Arnhem, to get a train. At least it looks like it'll be a tailwind for that bit.

Need to consider my options.

J